Through the years, signs have been made and used for numerous diverse purposes. Furthermore, the many designs which can be used in a sign and the countless ways in which its message can be expressed are limited only by the imagination and skill of the sign maker. On the other hand, the actual structure of a particular sign, and the methods by which it can be made are not so numerous. In their most basic structure, signs comprise a substrate on which a message is painted, carved, formed or otherwise placed. In some situations, in order to be really effective, a sign should do more than merely communicate a message. It needs to be ornamental and have some aesthetic appeal.
One popular form of sign which is frequently used for advertising incorporates a transparent substrate (e.g. glass) on which messages and designs are placed. With glass substrates, an etching process is sometimes used to provide a special aesthetic effect for the sign. As is well known in the pertinent art, etching can be accomplished by using an acid to cut or corrode selected areas of the glass substrate. The process requires several steps and can be relatively expensive.
Another effect used in the manufacture of signs to add some aesthetic appeal is embossing. Like etching, embossing is also well known in the art. More specifically, embossing is used whenever a portion of the surface of a sheet is to be raised or bulged to represent relief. Often times, glass is used as a superstrate for an embossed sheet to protect and support the sheet.
Both etching and embossing are widely used and are each effective in providing unique aspects for a distinctive sign which add aesthetic appeal. Importantly, etched or embossed products result from the practice of distinctly different and essentially incompatible processes. The present invention, however, recognizes that an essentially same process can be used to manufacture a sign which gives the appearance of incorporating either etched glass or an embossed sheet.
In light of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sign which gives the appearance that it incorporates etched glass. It is another object of the present invention to provide a sign which gives the appearance that it incorporates an embossed sheet. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing signs which can give the appearance of incorporating either etched glass or an embossed sheet. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sign, and its method of manufacture which are respectively easy to use and to practice and which are cost effective for their intended purposes.